2001 Buick Lesabre Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often write about power window regulators that fail and leave the glass stuck down, and about the dashboard pad pulling away from the windshield and buckling toward the passenger-side air bag area. Many complaints also describe dashboard lights and battery/charging quirks and, at higher mileage, transmission trouble and oil leaks around the valve covers that produce smoke under the hood. Reports appear across a wide mileage range, from under 20,000 miles up to well past 200,000.

1. 1
   Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)

   Rear power windows fall down and will not go back up

   • 102 complaints (31%)
   • median 57,345 mi at 6.4 yrs old (75 state mileage)
   • owner-quoted repair $443 (median of 31 quotes)
   • filed 2001–2017

   Owners describe a window that drops or will not rise when the switch is pressed, often on the rear doors that are rarely used. Several report the same failure on multiple windows, sometimes more than once on the same door, and that the repair requires replacing the whole regulator assembly. Dealers and independent shops reportedly quoted a few hundred dollars per window and, in some cases, told owners it was not a common problem. Reported from about 12,000 to 139,000 miles, with many occurring between roughly 18,000 and 88,000 miles, on low-use rear windows as well as the front ones.

   What to check: Roll every window fully down and back up, including the rear doors, and listen for popping or grinding. Ask whether any regulator has already been replaced and keep in mind the repair is usually sold as a complete assembly.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I own a 2001 Buick Lesabre that has 72000 miles on it. In the last 3 months both rear windows have fallen down while driving the car. We have no small children and the windows are used extremely infrequently. Have researched this equipment failure on the internet and it is an ongoing problem that Buick is aware of but fails to address. I did some research on edmunds. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10173129, filed 2006-11, 72,300 miles

   “I own a 2001 Buick le-sabre. I have had two power window regulaters fail and it would have cost about $500 each had I not had extended warranty. The car had about 25,000 miles on it. I was told that this was not a common problem. While standing there, another service rep. Was talking to a customer about the same failure. This seems to be systemmic problem and the public needs to be protected.”

   NHTSA complaint #10185431, filed 2007-03, 25,000 miles
2. 2
   Body and structure

   Dashboard pad lifting and buckling toward the windshield

   • 65 complaints (20%)
   • median 70,000 mi at 10.0 yrs old (41 state mileage)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $1,000 (median of 7 quotes)
   • filed 2000–2016

   The padded dash cover separates from the windshield edge and curls upward, starting near the steering wheel and spreading toward the passenger side where the air bag is. Owners report exposed wiring underneath, gauges shifted, and concern about how the passenger air bag would deploy. A dealer reportedly attributed it to heat and temperature changes deteriorating the material, and repairs were often not made. Reported from as little as 15,000 miles up to about 110,000 miles, including on a car kept in a warm climate and rarely driven.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: Look along the base of the windshield for gaps, curling, or lifted dash material, and check whether the dash sits flat around the passenger air bag cover.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “2001 Buick Lesabre limited 'dash mat' has separated and buckled in front of the steering wheel causing a visibility issue and is seems to continue to be separating towards the passenger side airbag - based on my online research it seems that this is a very common issue amongst 2000 - 2005 Lesabre owners. I live in florida and am not sure if heat is a contributing factor.”

   NHTSA complaint #10411677, filed 2011-07, 49,500 miles

   “My parents purchased a 2001 Buick Lesabre from the dealership new. Both parents (father now deceased) retired and moved to florida in 2001, and very rarely drove the vehicle. My father passed away in february of this year (2012) and my mother asked me if I wanted the car. I drove to florida to pick up the car and noticed the dash panel was all buckled and looked horrible. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10459804, filed 2012-05, 15,000 miles
3. 3
   Engine

   Oil leaks from valve covers and sending unit, smoke under

   • 33 complaints (10%)
   • median 133,060 mi at 14.5 yrs old (27 state mileage)
   • 21 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2001–2022

   Owners describe the smell of hot oil and occasional smoke from the engine bay, traced by shops to a leaking oil pressure sending unit and valve cover gaskets. In several complaints the smoke under the hood is discussed alongside reports of engine fires that ignited while parked or after starting. Some owners mention reading that the engine is prone to oil-related fires. Mostly reported between roughly 97,000 and 214,000 miles, though fire reports appear from about 120,000 miles upward.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: After a drive, check the engine for fresh oil residue around the valve covers and the oil pressure sending unit, and look for oil-soaked insulation or pooled oil on the engine.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Engine: oil leaking somewhere, as smell the hot oil and sometimes smoke comes out from under hood. Local service determined main leak was oil pressure sending unit and additional leak from valve covers. Repair cost for just oil sending unit: $167. The cost estimate for valve covers: ~$300. Decided to forgo that for now.”

   NHTSA complaint #10268948, filed 2009-05, 102,000 miles

   “Rear window regulator have malfunctioned for 3rd time in both rear windows. Oil leaking from valve/heads causing smoke under hood. Door controls shorted out,and electrical problems causing doors to lock and unlock without cause and switching from driver1 to driver2 and back while driving.”

   NHTSA complaint #10512045, filed 2013-05, 214,000 miles
4. 4
   Electrical system

   Battery drain, no-start and charging/electrical faults

   Mentioned in 4 of 60 sampled complaints

   Owners describe intermittent no-starts where the car eventually cranks after playing with the key, batteries that will not hold a charge, and an alternator or charge-system warning. One complaint describes a fuse box short that started a fire, and another a car whose electrical faults resisted a new computer and alternator. Reported from about 12,000 miles to 176,000 miles, with several cases in the 63,000 to 88,000 mile range.

   2 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask for battery and charging-system test records, check the battery terminals and ground connections, and confirm the car starts reliably from cold after sitting.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “When I try to start some times it wont start I have to play with the key for 10 min I don't get any power at all I can here the fuel pump turn on and nothing happens then starts I play with it starts right up then the other thing I notice is when it rains it makes an awful squealing noise.”

   NHTSA complaint #10627324, filed 2014-08, 63,000 miles

   “Battery would not hold charge. Had a new computer put in. Did not help. Had a new alternator installed. Did not help. Car caught on fire after about a year of trying to find the cause. Fire marshall said the fuse box shorted and caught the insulation on fire which burned the fuel line into. Car is no longer a problem. Totally gone. Fire was so intense it melted the engine.”

   NHTSA complaint #10563573, filed 2014-02, 88,404 miles

Buying note. This model year draws repeated, often inexpensive-to-predict complaints: window regulators, a lifting dashboard pad, and at higher mileage oil leaks and transmission wear. A careful pre-purchase inspection of the windows, dash, transmission fluid and battery/charging system will tell you more about a specific car than its mileage alone.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.